Wall-mounted socket for jack plug



April 15, 1969 E. A. GREASLEY 3,439,312

WALL-MOUNTED SOCKET FOR JACK PLUG Filed Nov. 16, 1967 INVENTOR Eric ArZ hurGreQsZe 5y. W n/014W Ar M United States Patent 3,439,312 WALL-MOUNTED SOCKET FOR JACK PLUG Eric Arthur Greasley, Nottingham, England, assignor to Pressac Limited, Long Eaton, Nottingham, England Filed Nov. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 683,655 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 21, 1966, 51,978/66 Int. Cl. 110% 1/04; F16] 41/00 U.S. Cl. 339128 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates to sockets for jack plugs, and more particularly to flush fitting snap-in sockets such as, for example, are fitted to transistor radio sets.

The present method of fixing flush fitting jack sockets to transistor radio sets leaves a lot to be desired, as the socket is inserted into a piercing from the outside of the cabinet and a fixing ring is assembled to the socket barrel from inside the cabinet by means of an assembly tool. Furthermore, these sockets are usually placed in a corner of the set, thus making them rather inaccessible when servicing the set.

The object of the invention is the provision of a jack socket which can be quickly, easily and securely fitted in a hole or piercing in a panel through the front face thereof, and subsequently removed without the use of assembly tools.

Summary of the invention The invention consists in the provision of a jack socket comprising a body part fitted internally with contacts for engagement by an inserted jack plug and which is characterised in that said body is formed externally with a plurality of resilient claws formed at their extremities, adjacent to the end of the body which receives a jack plug, with outwardly directed portions for overlying the marginal edge of a hole in which the socket is fitted, said claws being bowed in the axial direction of the socket so as to yieldingly resist insertion of the socket into a hole and then to spring outwardly radially into engagement with the edge of the hole, said claws in this latter position being spaced from the outer surface of the body sufiicient- 1y to permit the insertion of a bezel in the annular space between said claws and the body, which acts to prevent contraction of the claws towards the body and consequent release of the socket. Preferably, said bezel is designed to impart a decorative outward appearance at the front of the socket.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the socket.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view partly in section, showing the socket fitted in an opening in a panel.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the bezel fitted in position, and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURE 1.

3,439,312 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to said drawings, the socket comprises a holder or body part 1 fitted internally with contacts for engagement by an inserted jack plug, and this body part is formed with three or any other suitable number of resilient claws 2 formed at their extremities, adjacent to the end of the body which receives a jack plug, with radially outwardly directed arcuate flange-like portions 3 which, when the socket is engaged in a hole in a panel or the like, overlie the marginal edge of said hole as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. These claws 2 are bowed in the axial direction of the socket so that when the socket is engaged through a hole in a panel from the front thereof, Le. in the direction of the arrow A (FIGURE 2), the edge of the hole acts to contract the claws towards the body :part 1 until the largest diameter parts or elbows 2a of the claws pass through the hole whereupon, due to the reverse taper of the claws, the latter are permitted to move outwards radially due to their inherent resiliency and the flange-like portions of each claw overlies the marginal edge of the hole.

A decorative bezel 4 (FIGURES 2 and 3) is then inserted between the flexible claws 2 and the body part 1, the flange of the bezel covering the out-turned portions 3 of the claws to present a neat decorative outward appearance. It will be appreciated that when the bezel 4 is in position trapped between the body 1 and the flexible claws 2, the latter cannot contract to allow the socket to be removed from the panel until the bezel 4 itself has been removed, thereby enabling a secure fixing of the socket to be effected from the front of the panel and outside a cabinet without the use of assembly tools.

The arrangement provided by this invention permits easier servicing to an apparatus comprising a socket as herein described, because an engineer can easily and quickly remove the socket and replace same after rectification.

What is claimed is:

1. In a socket for a jack plug having an axis and a body part fitted internally with contacts for engagement by a plug inserted in one axial end of said body part, the improvement which comprises:

(a) a plurality of resilient claws externally formed on said body part having respective extremities adjacent said one end,

(1) said extremities each having a portion radially outwardly directed for overlying the marginal edge of a hole in which said socket is fitted,

(2) each claw being bowed in an axial plane in such a manner as to yieldingly resist axial insertion of the socket into a hole, and then to spring outwardly radially into a position of en gagement with the edge of the hole,

(3) said claws in the latter position being spaced from the outer surface of the body part sufiiciently to permit the insertion of a bezel in the annular space between said claws and the body part,

(4) whereby contraction of the claws toward said body part and consequent release of said socket may be prevented.

2. In a socket as set forth in claim 1, a bezel having a portion inserted in said annular space, another portion of said bezel constituting a decorative radial flange about said one end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,734 6/1966 Greasley 339-426 X 3,286,255 11/1966 Sanchez 340--381 3,358,136 12/1967 Greasley 339128 X RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner. 

